Reserved
in Heaven, for YOU
Col. 1:1-14

† In Jesus Name †

May the grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ strengthen your trust in Him, as you are prepared for that which is reserved for you in heaven!

• Registered and Reserved

Last week, when deacon Bob preached, his sermon revolved around a word… anyone remember it?

Bob- you do remember it, right?

The focus was your names being REGISTERED in heaven, proof you belong there. I believe you referred to the fact that you and everyone can find the proof of your married in the place it is registered – the County Registrar’s office.

Today takes off of that word “registered” which focuses on the who, and works around the concept of who – in the case of marriage – Bob and Helena… in the core of the message – your name being registered in heaven.

Today we move passed that to what our names are registered for, and we see the impact of what is reserved for us. It is one thing to know someone has our name and we are going to get something… but our response is based on what is waiting for us. What are we expecting, that is reserved for us….

It makes a big difference, let me explain

• Failed Faith from Failed Expectation

Back in high school we had a vice principal whose primary job was to be the disciplinarian – you were only called to his office when someone registered a complaint against you. So for him to call you out of a crowd… well…it wasn’t good! (normally) Well, one day in my senior year I am walking down the hall with my friends, and he sees us, and he calls out, “Hey Darren get in here…”

My instinct I am safe…so I turn around and walk away, leaving Darren Nelson, Darren Cobb, and Darren Degenhardt in the hall to deal with the gruff and mean vice principal.

Until I heard, “Parker, don’t walk away from me…” and all the Darrens breathed and relaxed!

Anxiety level 10 and growing quickly.

He did have my name! Somehow, my name was registered with him… and now I had to to find out what was reserved for me….

I think we often look at God that way, as the disciplinarian who only calls us out when we’ve done wrong?

Even those of us who have heard the gospel, the good news, still can have the impression that God is out there, waiting to give us detention, or suspend us, or  kick us completely out, as Moses warned the people of Israel. Sin too much, or certain sins, and unless mercy reigned, outside the people’s camp you were sent, either for a week, or forever…

Paul’s prayer for these people is that they don’t get caught up back in that loop, for they were already living a life that testified to God’s work transforming them! They loved God and all of God’s people because they had the confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven.

• Expecting Heaven, knowing God better

If I had only known what the vice president reserved for me, if I only knew my name and likeness registered in his mind, I would have had a far different attitude. And the Darrens wouldn’t have been relieved either, they might actually have been jealous!

That is the point Paul is making here… hear it again, “we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, ⁵ which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.”

Our lives are changed by this expectation, by knowing that life is given to us, not just life now, but life eternal, eventually life in the very presence of God, life witout pain and sorrow, life where loving even the least is just how we live.

As Paul would put it, ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.    

In some of my vacation reading, I came across a lot of similar thoughts by Luther, Augustine and Pope Benedict XVI. All were saying the same thing—that theology wasn’t about academic pursuits or knowledge of doctrine, but the ability to know God, to experience His love more. To know He knows your name, to know He has reserved a place of you, to know He loves you and died for you

So he could, as Paul says “rescue us from kingdom of darkness (and anxiety that is caused as He calls your name) for He is transferring us to the Kingdom of Jesus, who purchased our freedom, and forgave our sins.

So rejoice – you are registered, and you have a reservation.. and you are remade for that  reservation!  Amen